That's essentially the same phone as the T-Mo Dash. I don't know if it has the same issues with the volume bar but have noticed many Dash owners use a utility called "JogBar T-Mobile Dash - JogBar utility (SetJogBar)" Available
here. You can download it for free, but they ask for $5 if you like it.
Here's more info on it. I don't know if it's only for the DASH, or Excalibur too?
Other than that, you've got a SmartPhone and it depends how you intend to use it as to which apps you'll want. Is it going to be used for work mainly, or play? Or, both?
TCPMP is usually highly recommended for a media player if you find the built-in one not good enough. Everyone seems to have their favorite games, task managers, calendar and task management tools, calculators, mapping and search pages, browsers etc.
I highly recommend
Xbar3 as a task manager, program launcher, easy shortcuts, etc. I haven't read how it does on your phone but it works great on mine. It's not free, but it's one of the few programs I've purchased and would buy it again. I rarely go into my start menu. Everything I use frequently has shortcuts or is in the launcher. It also give you cut & paste as well as a clock and a calendar + battery and RAM info from any screen with one button push.
Sprite backup is also a good backup/restore utility that if you ever NEED it you'll be glad you bought it.
If there's something specific you want to do, post that question and hopefully you'll get better info.
Have fun with your new phone! I look forward to reading what you think of it!!
Devices: T-Mobile MDA (Cingular SIM), i-mate SP5m (sitting in a drawer at the moment while I attempt to migrate to PPC permanently), Cingular 3125 (unlocked and in use on T-Mobile), Motorola MPx220 (retired), Motorola MPx200 (retired)
Accessories: Plantronics Explorer 330 & 2G Patriot Micro-SD (use w/MDA), Kingston 2G mini-SD used in SP5m, Plantronics Discovery 640 & 2G San Disk micro-SD (use w/3125), Jabra A210 BT adapter + Motorola HS805 (retired)